Improvement in pendulum-sights for cannons



R. SMITH.

Sight for Ordfiance. NQ 4 0 ,288. Patented Oct 13. 1863.

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'ItOBERT SMITH, OF BROOKLYN, NEWV YORK.-

IMPROVEMENT IN PENDULUiVl-SIGHTS FOR CANNONS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. &0,2@@, dated October 13, 1863; antedatecl September 28, 1863.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT SMITH, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Pendulum-Sight for Heavy Ordnance; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents a face view of my in- Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the same, taken in the plane indicated by the line at 00, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference in the two figures represent corresponding parts.

In sighting cannon with an ordinary sight much depends upon the level position of the carriage. If one wheel stands higher than the other, it is impossible to take a correct aim.

The object of this invention is to so arrange the sight of a cannon that it can readily be adjusted according to the position of the carriage, and that a correct aim can be taken whatever the position of the carriage may be.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation with reference to the drawings.

' A represents a plate, of brass or other suitable material, andinclined on its inner surface to fit to the breech of a cannon. Said plate is provided with two lugs, a, which form the guides for the slides b, that serve to adjust the plate on the cannon. Said slides are adjustable in slots 0 in the lugs a, and they are fastened in the desired position by set-screws d. The edges of the lugs may be provided with suitable notches or scales to indicate the correct position of the slides b for different sizes of cannon. The plate Ais also provided with two projections, e e, which form the bearings for the pins or screws f, on which the oscillating frame B is fulcrumed. The projection e also serves as the handle of the plate A, and the projection 0 is provided with a segmental slot, f, to receive the thumbscrew 9, which serves to adjust the oscillating frame B in the desired position.

0 is the pendulum-sight, which is suspended from a pivot, h, in the top of the frame B, so that it can swing freely in a lateral direction. A small friction-wheel, 1;, in its lower part facilitates its oscillating motions. The pendulum C, it will be noticed, is constructed in the form of an open frame, and it is obvious that there is an unimpeded vision or sight through or across said pendulum. If desired, one of the sides of the pendulumframe can be omitted, and it (the pendulum) would then have a hook form, the operation and sight across the lower part thereof remaining precisely the same.

The frame B forms the guide for the sightstaff D, which serves to adjust the gun to any desired elevation. This staff is provided with a scale indicating the distance to which the cannon is to be sighted, and it is retained in the desired position by the set-screw j. In firing point blank the sight-staff is lowered so as to bring the notch in its ring just behind the notch in the middle of the plate A.

The operation is as follows: In order to sight a cannon, the slides b are adjusted according to the size of the piece, and the plate A is placed on the breech, said slides resting on the base-ring of the gun. The plate A is now firmly pressed to the base of the breech and moved round till the point is on the pendulum 0 stops opposite the scribe under the sight-mark. It is obvious that when the slides bare properly set the line of sight can be found in a second, whatever the position of the wheels or carriage may be.

1. The construction of the pendulum in the manner herein shown and described, so that In taking the elevation for long range, care must be taken unimpeded vision or sighting may be had I and pendulum O with the base A and the and through or across the pendulum, as set forth. justing devices, allin the manner herein shown 2. The combination, with the said penduand described. lum, of the adjustable graduated sight-staff l ROBERT SMITH. D, substantially in the manner herein shown and described.

3. The combination of the frame B, staff D, Y

Witnesses:

M. S. PARTRIDGE, DANIEL ROBERTSON. 

